Electric switch



(No Model.)

G. WINOKLER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented June 8,1897.

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`tion of the same.

UNITED STATES PATENT raton.

ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEWT YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,963, dated J une 8, 1897.

Application filed J'une 4, 1896. Seria-l No. 594,226. (No model.)

To r//ZZ ffmiu, t ntf/,U concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W1NcKLnR,a citizen of the United States,residin g at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, (Case No. 405,) of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to electric switches, and has for its object to provide a switch in 'which the parts can be made by automatic machinery, thereby reducing the cost of manufacture to a minimum, and the arranging of the parts in such a manner that the blade is held in position' by the assembling of the permanent parts, and at the same time permitting the ready removal of the blade when it is necessary to replace it due to damage caused by sparking.

The invention also relates to the construction of the parts to be more fully described hereinafter.

To attain the ends above pointed out, the back or lever of the switch is made with a tubular cross-section and slotted to receive the copper blade which is adapted to bridge the space between the contacts secured to the base of the switch. The blade may be held in position by means of pins carried by the permanent parts of the switch or by projections on the blade itself. In both cases the securing of the handle to the back holds the blade in its proper place.

In the accompanying drawings, attached to and made a part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view ot' a double-throw switch embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a side eleva- Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3 3 ot' Fig. l. Fig. i is a section on the line at et of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view, partially in elevation, of a single-throw switch; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line G 6 of Fig. 5.

A is the base, made of slate or other insulatin g and preferably non-combustible material, upon which are mounted the switchterminals C and D and the pillar B, to which the switch-lever is pivoted at b. The handle E, tube F, and piece K form the permanent parts of the switch and are held together by screw-threaded joints a and d'. The blade G is stamped out of sheet-copper of the required thickness, and preferably the notches c c' are cut at the same time.

The tube F is provided with screw-threaded ends, to which are attached the piece K, pivoted to the pillar B, and the handle E. The latter is provided with a met-al tip I and the tip and handle are secured togetherby means of the screw H. The screw H is provided at its outer end with a rounded portion engaging with the slot cin the blade G, and mounted in the piece K is a pin J, which engages with the slot c in the opposite end.

T he tube F is slotted through the top and bottom, and mounted in this slot is the blade G and held therein by means of the pins H and J. To assemble the parts, the pin .l is mounted in the piece K, and the tube F, with the blade G in position, is screwed into the piece K, after which the handle E, carrying the pin H, is screwed to the opposite end ot' the tube.

It will be seen that'the parts are very simple in construction and of such forni that they may be made by automatic screw machinery, which reduces their cost to a minimum. It will also be seen that the construction of the permanent parts is such that when they are assembled, with the blade in position, the latter is held against movement in any direction. This dispenses With the extra parts commonly used in securing the back and blade together.

When the blade G is injured by sparking, it can readily be replaced without removing the switch from its position on the switchboard and Without disturbing any of the electrical connections.

The construction above pointed out can be applied equally Well to double-pole switches, and in that event an insulated connection would be required between the blades.

In Figs. 5 and G l have illustrated my invention applied to a single-throw switch. In this case the tube F is slotted on the lower side and secured to the piece K by a screwthreaded joint, as before. The blade Gis provided with lugs or projections L Ilm-'bieb may be formed at the time the blade is stamped out. These extend outwardly on both sides of the blade and engage with the inner periphery of the tube F, as clearlT shown in Fig. G. i

The handle E, provided with the tip I, is secured to the tube F by a screw-threaded joint after the blade Gr has been inserted in place, and the tip I, engaging with the end of the blade, holds it against lateral movement.

Vliat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In an electric switch, the combination of a base, terminals mounted on the base, a blade Vfor closing the circuit between the terminals, a back or lever to which the blade is removably secured, and a handle for securing the blade to the back and operating the switch. 2. In an electric switch, the combination of a base, a pillar for the switch, a piece pivoted to the pillar, a slotted tube forming a back or lever for the blade, and screw-threaded joints between the tube andthe handle, and between the tube and the piece pivoted to the pillar.

In an electric switch, the combination or' a base, a pillar secured to the base, a blade` a slotted tube to which the blade is removably secured, screw-threaded joints between the handle and the tube and between the tube and a piece pivotally secured to the pillar, and pins engaging with slots in the blade to hold it in position.

4. In a double-throw switch, the combination of a base, a pillar mounted on the base` a slotted tube, 'a blade extending above and below the tube,screw-threaded joints between the tube and the handle and between the tu be and a piece pivotally secured to the pillan and notches in the blade for securing' it in place.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set mi* hand this 28th day of May, 189C.

GEORGE VINCKLER. lVit-nesses:

B. B. HULL, A. F. MACDONALD. 

